This is the third consecutive tournament win for the Athens Olympian. The dominant American at 60kg since 2004, Williams-Murray moved up to 66kg in February 2006 and although he had success at the heavier weight he opted to move back down again this year, winning the New York Open in March and the USA Judo Senior Nationals in April.

Using Tre-Torri as a tune-up event for the Pan American Games (July 19-22 in Rio de Janeiro), Williams-Murray not only won all four of his matches, but did so without being scored on once.

In the first round, Williams-Murray beat Brett Caswell (GBR), silver medalist at the Swiss Open in April, by a trio of penalties and two yukos (quarter-point) scores.

Next he beat Marco Maiani (ITA) by a waza-ari (half-point) and then ippon (instant win) in the final minute.

In the semifinal, Williams-Murray threw Isaam Nour (FRA) for a yuko and then ended the match with ippon in the third minute.

Williams-Murray ended the day with a win by ippon in the final against Brian Miles-Smith (GER).

The win moves Williams-Murray into the U.S. #1 ranking in the division.

Daniel McCormick (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE / +100kg) took the Americans’ only other placing for the day, earning fourth in a round robin division. McCormick defeated Vito Zocco (ITA) by ippon in his third round, but lost his other three matches during the day.

Kenny Hashimoto (Thornton, Colo. / Northglenn Judo Club) won his first match against at 66kg against Stephane Trampille (FRA), but lost in the second round to James Ridd (GBR) by a koka (smallest points) and was eliminated from the tournament.

Marti Malloy (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University) won a silver medal as a 57kg player at last year’s event, but went 1-2 to finish seventh in the 63kg division. After beating Chahinez Bour (ALG) by a shido in the first round, Malloy lost to Laure Aerts (BEL), the 2004 European U20 Championships silver medalist, by a koka.

Malloy then dropped down to the repechage where she lost to Franchesca Cherici (ITA) by a yuko.

Nina Cutro-Kelly (San Antonio, Texas / Universal Judo) lost by ippon in the first round to eventual champion Josefine Vostry (GER), a fifth-place finisher at the Vienna World Cup in February.

In the repechage Cutro-Kelly lost by ippon to Amy Cotton (CAN), a five-time Pan Am medalist.

The women’s 52kg, 57kg and 70kg and men’s 73kg, 81kg, 90kg and 100kg will be contested on Saturday.

Complete results are as follows:

Women’s 48kg
1. Severine Pesch (GER)
2. Amel Bensemain (FRA)
3. Julia Kriesten (GER)
3. Virginie Marie (FRA)
5. Moira Giusti (ITA)
5. Meriem Moussa (ALG)

Women’s 63kg
1. Marianna Marinosci (ITA)
2. Jennie Bonsant (CAN)
3. Karine Berger (FRA)
3. Kahnia Saidi (ALG)
5. Laure Aerts (BEL)
5. Francesca Cherici (ITA)

Also Competed: Marti Malloy (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University), 1-2

Women’s 78kg
1. Josefine Vostry (GER)
2. Soheir Madani (ALG)
3. Amy Cotton (CAN)
3. Annika Heise (GER)
5. Kahina Hadid (ALG)
5. Maike Heinz (GER)

Also Competed: Nina Cutro-Kelly (San Antonio, Texas / Universal Judo), 0-2

Women’s +78kg
1. Eva Bisseni (FRA)
2. Katrin Dittrich (GER)
3. Verena Birndorfer (GER)
3. Marta Damiani (ITA)
5. Sara Crivellaro (ITA)
5. Beatrice Rietz (GER)

Men’s 60kg
1. Taraje Williams-Murray (Bronx, N.Y. / NYAC / Spartak Sports Club)
2. Brian Miles Smith (GER)
3. Oliver Gussenberg (GER)
3. Issam Nour (FRA)
5. Fabio Andreoli (ITA)
5. Frank Conrad (GER)

Men’s 66kg
1. Jean Yves Bottieau (GER)
2. Igor Trbovc (SLO)
3. Sebastian Berthelot (FRA)
3. Maxim Kuznetsov (RUS)
5. Mounir Benamadi (ALG)
5. Simon Mohorovic (SLO)

Also Competed: Kenny Hashimoto (Thornton, Colo. / Northglenn Judo), 1-1

Men’s +100kg
1. Mitja Jenus (SLO)
2. Anis Chedly (TUN)
3. Mohamed Bouaichaoui (ALG)
4. Daniel McCormick (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
5. Vito Zocco (ITA)

For more information, contact Nicole Jomantas, 719.271.9937 (cell) or Nicole.Jomantas@usajudo.us.